Sean Dyche felt Bacary Sagna deserved a red card for kicking out at George Boyd during Burnley's 2-1 defeat to 10-man Manchester City.
As Boyd attempted to gather the ball after Ben Mee's 70th-minute strike halved the deficit following goals from Gael Clichy and Sergio Aguero, he was involved in an altercation with Sagna.
The Frenchman appeared to swing a leg at Boyd as he tried to delay the restart, but only received a yellow card from referee Lee Mason.
Dyche believes Sagna's actions should have seen City finish the match with nine men, having already had Fernandinho dismissed for a two-footed lunge on Johann Gudmundsson in the 32nd minute.
"It's a tough one because they've given the goal, we're trying to get the ball, the linesman is probably a long way from it, the referee is running towards the centre, but it is a sending off because he swipes out at Boyd," he said.
"Boyd is just trying to get the ball back. But I think it's tough because I presume the referee and the linesman didn't get a clear view of it.
"I don't think the linesman saw enough of it to understand it was an actual kick out. Our lads just get on with it. That might not have been the case with other players."
However, Dyche felt the right decision had been made in giving Fernandinho his marching orders, despite the Brazilian appearing to get some of the ball.
He added: "Many years ago when I played that would have probably been a yellow card, but now they talk about the scissor movement and coming off the ground.
"I don't think it's a terrible one but it's a sending off by modern standards I would say."
Pep Guardiola was irked Mee's goal stood despite what he perceived to be a foul on goalkeeper Claudio Bravo in the build-up, but Dyche disagreed.
He said: "I've seen the goal. It's just two honest challenges and then it drops and it goes in. I think that's just part of the game."
